AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



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i THE MESSENGER. 



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■ t By Isaac E. Hess. 



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- - 1 When the wintry wood folds up her shroud 



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■ '. Revealing spots so dear^ 



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i And the snows upon the north-tipped slopes 



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[ ": Begin to disappear — 



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1 . When the green springs upward to rejDlace 



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; " Earth's carpet brown and sear — 

 V They're bulletins : translated read. 



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• ;; "Spring-time is almost here." 



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1 When the Red-bird plies his questionings 



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• "What cheer" to me "What cheer", 



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l ' When from the azure skies above 



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' t Sweet bluebird notes I hear. 



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i •] And "honks" of wild geese speeding north 



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■ ' Fall softly on my ear — 



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[ ] They're peremptory messages; 



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1 They tell me spring is near. 



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] When from the distant south there rings 

 ': „ The clarion notes and clear. 







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; And comes the wild voice, hastening 

 On wings "Killdeer," "Killdeer"- — 



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[ ; I bid farewell to winter 



And we part without a tear; 







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i ; For spring's authentic messenger 



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Is come and spring is here. 





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